


I guess you know by now

by BrilliantlyHorrid



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Daisy has a lot of feelings, Everyone works out their feelings, F/M, Including the Author, Mixed Emotions, Phil Coulson is a baby deer, Sharing a Bed, So much confusion, offscreen sex, self doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 01:37:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6684100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrilliantlyHorrid/pseuds/BrilliantlyHorrid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What are we?” Daisy asked, watching his face carefully. Coulson's mouth dropped open a little, like either he was really surprised or trying to think of something to say. But he wasn’t talking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I guess you know by now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zauberer_sirin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zauberer_sirin/gifts), [Skyepilot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/gifts), [RowboatCop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowboatCop/gifts).



> I'm getting on a plane in a couple hours so this needed to happen. There is some funky punctuation from formatting I don't have time to fix but will when I come back!

“This’ll have to do,” Coulson said apologetically, tossing his gloves and scarf on the desk. Daisy looked around the cheap motel room, shrugging.

“Believe it or not, I’ve slept in worse places,” she said. Coulson grimaced. “And look at the two little beds!” She said, trying to get that look off his face, that look he got whenever she talked about less than savory aspects of her life. “It’ll be like summer camp.”

She didn’t mention that she never went to summer camp.

“Yeah,” he said, walking over to the window. It looked over the nearly empty parking lot, which was slowly gaining a coat of snow. Coulson closed the thin drapes before turning back to look at Daisy. “Do you want to use the bathroom?”

She shrugged. “Honestly, I’m probably just going to pass out.” She had used her powers and was feeling a bit drained, but not enough to earn the worried look she was getting.

“Here,” he said, digging through  a duffel bag he’d grabbed from the back of the SUV. Daisy looked at him curiously until he tossed her two soft bundles. Unfolding one, she smiled.

“I didn’t know we still had any of these,” she said, before placing the sweatpants on the bed. She unfolded the long sleeve shirt next, letting her fingers run over the SHIELD logo.

“All the SUVs come with a couple sets,” Coulson said, and she noticed the fond smile on his face.

“ _And_ we get to match?” Daisy asked, joking around. Phil just rolled his eyes before gesturing to the bathroom, and Daisy took the hint to change.

She took her time, assuming that Coulson would be changing as well back in the room. It was weird; they hadn’t been stuck on an overnight before , just the two of them. Actually, it was weird because of how _not_ weird it was. After folding up her field suit and placing her accessories into a neat pile, she looked at herself in the mirror.

_Yeah, definitely passing out._

The bags under her eyes seemed more prominent these days, with the new threat looming over her head. Patting her face with a bit of water before wiping it off with a slightly scratchy towel, she sighed. Looking down at the little eagle logo on her pants, she smiled and walked out of the bathroom.

“All yours,” she said, startling Phil from his spot by the closet. He was hanging up his shirt, or at least trying to. “The bathroom?” Daisy continued, seeing his confused face. His eyes ran quickly over her outfit, and she smiled self-consciously. “Yeah, they’re a little big, but they’ll do,” she said. “Thanks.”

Coulson nodded, and she waited until he passed her on his way to the bathroom to take a look at his own outfit.

_Yup, twinsies._

Climbing into the bed next to the door (since Coulson seemed super into gazing out the window that night,) Daisy pulled the covers up to her chin and rolled over. Vaguely noting the sounds of Coulson shuffling around, she was asleep before the lights went off.

 

Daisy frowned, slowly drifting back into wakefulness. Part of her begged her body to stay asleep, she could tell it hadn’t been long. But it was too late. She was awake. Opening her eyes, she tried to figure out what had dared disturb her slumber.

A rhythmic thumping noise coming from the wall behind her headboard clued her in.

“Oh come on,” she muttered, rubbing a hand over her eyes. The walls were paper thin, so the sound of her neighbor’s headboard hitting the wall behind her left little to the imagination. Daisy doubted that Coulson was actually sleeping through this, so she sat up. “Coulson?”

No answer.

“ _Coulson_.”

His back was turned to her, but a long suffering sigh let Daisy know he was awake.

“You’re hearing this, right?” _How could you not?_

“I’m choosing to ignore it,” he said flatly, sounding wide awake. Maybe ignoring it was the mature thing to do, Daisy thought, feeling a little childish for feeling the need to discuss it.

Then the moaning started.

“Oh god,” Coulson said, his hands over his face.

“That’s what she said.”

“Daisy,” Coulson scolded, but she could hear the lack of conviction in it. They didn’t say anything for a bit, but it was even more awkward now that they were both awake, and it was only getting louder.

“I guess points for enthusiasm,” Daisy sighed, before laying back down and folding her pillow over her ears. It did little good, however, since now that she was awake enough to hear it, she was having trouble blocking out the vibrations.

And that was a whole new awkward experience.

“Can you just like, talk or something?” Daisy asked, squeezing her eyes shut. Coulson seemed to hear something in her voice, because she could hear him sit up.

“Is everything okay?”

“Just...loud,” she said. “Sound-wise and--” she pointed vaguely towards her head, not even sure Coulson was looking.

“Oh,” Coulson said, not quite sounding like he understood. He took a beat. “ _Oh._ ”

_Now you’re getting it._

“That’s...uncomfortable.”

“No kidding,” Daisy said, coming to terms with the fact that she probably wasn’t going to get sleep anytime soon. “They’ve got to finish sometime, right?” She asked, not particularly caring if she sounded crude.

“One can only hope.”

Daisy smiled, letting out a little laugh. Coulson had a sense of humor, she wasn’t sure why she forgot that sometimes. Maybe it was because whenever she was in the mood to joke, he wasn’t. _And vice versa._

It wasn’t exactly a stretch to say that Daisy wasn’t the only one who used jokes as a coping mechanism. In fact, odds were, if one of them was joking these days, the other one was probably worrying.

A loud, drawn out grunting noise interrupted her thoughts, signalling the...end of the activities. Daisy felt slightly mortified. _Okay that was way too personal._ But at least it was over with.

From his bed, Coulson snorted.

***

It was a couple hours later when Daisy woke up next, having drifted off to sleep again after a brief giggle fest over their noisy neighbors. It was childish, maybe, but _nice_. This time, she knew exactly what woke her.

“Coulson?” She whispered, pulling her blanket up over her shoulders. Maybe she was imagining it but Daisy thought she could see her breath. “ _Coulson,_ ” she repeated, teeth fully chattering.

“Hm?” Coulson mumbled, and from the dim light outside she could see him roll over to face her. “What’s wrong?”

“I think the heat broke or shut off or something,” Daisy answered, and heard Coulson let out a sleepy sigh.

“C’mere,” he muttered, and lifted his comforter slightly. Daisy’s eyes widened, but she wasn’t about to turn that down. Wrapping her blanket fully around her she stepped off her own bed and closed the short gap to his.

“Thanks,” she whispered, spreading her comforter over his before hurriedly climbing under the covers.

“Mmhmm,” Coulson sighed, and Daisy was fairly certain he was still mostly asleep at that point. Otherwise all...that? Probably wouldn’t be happening, right? Coulson was confusing more often than not now, and while they were still close lately he seemed to be less inclined to be _close_.

The director wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer, and Daisy was _definitely_ certain that he wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Okay?” He asked, however, in a warm puff of air behind her ear. Daisy smiled.

“Okay,” she answered, placing her hands over his and snuggling back into him more. _Phil the cuddler. Who knew?_  Daisy wasn’t going to complain, she was _much_ warmer now, so hypothermia probably wouldn’t be something she had to worry about. And even in the tiny bed, Coulson didn’t feel suffocating or awkward, just warm and solid and safe. His breath quickly evened out as he fell back asleep, and despite the fact that her mind was racing a bit, Daisy soon followed.

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Coulson groaned, and Daisy shot into wakefulness. Had he really not remembered inviting her in? Was he panicking now? Should she apologize and go back to her own bed? Stiffening, she waited to see what he would say or do next, not quite ready to face him if he was uncomfortable.

She glanced down and saw _both_ of his arms wrapped around her waist, so between that and the fact that they were still very much spooning, he didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

It was then that Daisy heard the _real_ reason why Phil was upset.

“Goooood morning, Vietnam,” Daisy said, closing her eyes again. Phil made a little confused noise behind her, but Daisy ignored it. It was too early for pop culture references. _Pop culture references._ “Have you seen _When Harry Met Sally?_ ” She asked, and Coulson snorted.

“Yes,” he said sounding a little indignant. “Why-- _no_ ,” Coulson said quickly, and Daisy tried not to laugh.

“What? It might catch their attention, a little competition?”

“Just-- just try to sleep a little longer,” Coulson asked, and the guy sounded tired in basically every way, so Daisy let it slide. After all, it was impressive enough that they were still doing _this_ , she was sure he would kick her out of bed as soon as he came to his senses. (Well, not kick her out. Maybe politely ask that she leave. Or leave himself so he wouldn’t have to ask her to.) But it was still pretty cold in the room and there didn’t seem to be any other _issues_ with the arrangement, so she supposed this must have seemed totally normal to him. His arms were still wrapped around her waist loosely, his thighs pressed to the back of hers. _Nope, no issues detected._

Daisy wondered if maybe she should feel a bit insulted.

Hearing their neighbors begin to ramp things up Daisy tried not to think about it too much. Her sleepiness dulled the vibrations a bit, but it was nonetheless a hassle. She got it, they were excited, maybe trying to keep warm. But all she wanted was some uninterrupted sleep. Just for a little while.

“Are they on a honeymoon or something?” She asked, hearing Coulson sigh behind her. Maybe he wasn’t in the mood to talk, but Daisy was coming to the conclusion that she wasn’t going to get sleep anytime soon, so she would prefer a distraction to just lying awake _listening._

“Here?”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “You know not everyone can afford the-- the Ritz Carlton or whatever,” she said, and Coulson shifted uncomfortably, probably out of guilt.

“You’re right,” he said, “that was--”

“ _Snobby_ ,” Daisy answered in a sing song voice, closing her eyes. Coulson let out a quiet little laugh and she grinned.

“Snobby,” he confirmed tiredly, pulling her in closer.

Daisy frowned. What was going on here? “I’m sorry,” she said, pulling away and sitting up in the bed. She crossed her arms, rubbing her hands over her shoulders as the cold set in. “Where did this guy come from?”

Coulson looked at her in confusion and concern, finally seeming to wake up, before sitting up as well. “What’s wrong?”

Daisy’s eyebrows shot up. Really? No idea? “This,” she said, gesturing at him, frustrated. “Where did Mr. Cuddles come from all of a sudden?” Vaguely acknowledging the continued noises in the room next door-- _Really? Still?--_ Daisy saw Phil’s face pale.

“I--I’m sorry S--” He cringed slightly, shaking his head. “ _Daisy_ , I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“Un-- I’m not uncomfortable, Coulson,” Daisy told him, and it was the truth. She wasn’t uncomfortable so much as wondering why he was acting like this was totally normal. _Coulson_ should be the uncomfortable one. But here he was, lying in bed with her, _snuggling_ , essentially and--

Acting like it didn’t affect him at all.

And that bothered her.

She didn’t want Coulson to be squeamish around her, but being treated like a body pillow (and not one of _those_ kinds of body pillows either) wasn’t what she was looking for. Something turned over in her stomach slightly.

The noise next door had finally ended, but Daisy wasn’t sure she preferred the quiet.

“What are we?” She asked, watching his face carefully. His mouth dropped open a little, like either he was really surprised or trying to think of something to say. He wasn’t talking though, so Daisy leaned over, pressing her mouth against his. Under her lips she could feel Coulson gasp before he away quickly. Closing her eyes against the embarrassment, Daisy leaned back against the headboard. “Guess that answers that,” she said ruefully, not fully comprehending what had just happened. What she had just done.

 _To Coulson_.

“You don’t--” Coulson began, surprisingly still next to her and not fleeing into the midwest tundra. “Daisy, you don’t feel that way about me,” he said, and if she wasn’t so focused on being humiliated and ruining _everything,_ his tone would piss her off.

“Oh?” She asked, not worrying about being ugly with him, not if that’s the way this was going to go. “What are you in my head too all of a sudden? Because I gotta tell you Phil, I’m pretty much done with that.”

She could practically feel him deflate next to her, as if she had socked him in the stomach. Finally opening her eyes, Daisy decided to take a look at him. She really was wrecking his day, wasn’t she? Destroying whatever his idea of her had been. _Good._

She hated it when other people presumed to know how she felt, or made her decisions for her. And Coulson, of all people doing it? She refused.

“You can think whatever you want of me,” Daisy said, shaking her head. “But don’t tell me what I feel and what I don’t, I’m so sick of people doing that.”

“I’m sorry,” Coulson said quietly. Tentatively he reached over, placing his hand on her knee over the thick layer of covers. Daisy wasn’t sure she even wanted the gesture, but she let it stay. “I should know better than that, I’m sorry Daisy.”

Daisy swallowed heavily, feeling foolish and hating it. “Do you really--” She couldn’t even bring herself to say it. It was _expected_ in a way, she guessed. But she had always thought it was--it could be--different from that. Bunching the ends of her sleeves over her hands, she swiped at her face with the heel of her hand, irritated that the soft cloth had already started to smell like him.

“Oh no,” Coulson said, sounding pained. “Don’t, Daisy.” He pushed the covers off of him, kneeling on top of them to face her fully. Against all reason she let him pull her into a hug, clinging tightly to him and crying into his sweatshirt. “I’m sorry, Daisy,” he said pathetically, like he might not be too far from a completely weird and embarrassing breakdown either. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“Stop _doing_ that!” She shot back, sounding pretty demanding for someone who was probably looking really undignified in that moment.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Phil said helplessly, “I messed up.”

“Yeah you did,” Daisy muttered, finally managing to get a couple deep breaths in. Phil’s hand rubbed over her back, warm and soothing and unfair. “I hate you.”

“No you don’t,” he sighed.

Daisy pulled away and glared at him.

“Sorry, yes, you do. You rightfully do,” he said quickly, holding his hands up.

Daisy deflated. “No I don’t,” she groaned. Rubbing at her face with her hands, Daisy pushed the covers off and climbed out of the bed. “I’m just going to...” she said, gesturing to the other bed as she pulled at her comforter. She jumped a little as Coulson grabbed at her hand out of nowhere. Seeing her reaction, he pulled back.

“Sorry,” he said yet again, watching her with this forlorn look on his face.

 _Sorry to disappoint you,_ Daisy thought, but couldn’t even be mad at him really. She turned back to her bed, spreading the comforter over it, ready to climb back under the covers and out of the cold. Maybe staying in there for a couple decades.

A noise from the room next door startled the both of them, and Daisy almost yelled _‘SERIOUSLY?’_ But then another noise caught her attention.

_“Shhhh!”_

_“Shit.”_

Daisy and Coulson stared at the wall. Apparently eavesdropping (willing or unwilling) worked both ways. 

“I’m just going to take a shower,” Daisy said, pulling the comforter over her head, wrapping herself in a literal security blanket as she trudged over to the bathroom.

The sun had just started to rise.

***

They had been driving for about ten awkward, slow minutes (no small amount of thanks to the local snowplows. If they actually existed, which she was beginning to doubt,) before Coulson pulled over. Daisy put a hand on the dashboard, slightly unnerved by the car sliding just a little too much as Coulson carefully eased it off the road.

“What are you doing?” She asked, worried that they wouldn’t be able to get moving again and she would be stuck in this situation even longer. Coulson turned to face her.

“You don’t think of me as a--”

“ _No_ ,” she said emphatically, not wanting to hear what he was going to say next. Assuming it was what she thought he was going to say.

“Right,” Coulson said, nodding slightly. “But you do--”

“Yes?” Daisy interrupted again, not wanting to hear him spell that out either, not if it was going to end poorly for her anyway.

Coulson nodded again, or he never stopped nodding, Daisy wasn’t sure. Was there a point to this? Did he just need clarification before pretending it never happened, or was it something else?

“I never had kids,” Coulson said abruptly, and Daisy looked at him like he was crazy.

“Yeah I would hope not,” she said, eyebrows so high on her forehead she would swear they touched her hairline. “Because I imagine they’d be feeling pretty neglected by now.”

Coulson made a wincing smile, looking out the windshield.

Tapping his fingers against the steering wheel, Coulson looked thoughtful. “I feel like I would be doing something wrong,” he said guiltily. He hesitated for a moment before looking up at Daisy carefully, and she knew what he meant. What he was asking her to do.

Daisy knew that Phil tried to never, ever put her in an uncomfortable spot, or feel like the burden was on her when making a tough decision. After what she had been through with Hive and the Inhumans, he had been so careful. But Daisy got it. She might not have liked it, but she got it. Why she had to be the one to put herself out there again.

Watching him for any signs of distress or rejection, Daisy unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over the center console. His face seemed determined, if nervous, but the way his hands were shaking… She closed her eyes.

This kiss was possibly even more tentative than the first one, she was ready this time if he pulled away. Well, she told herself she was ready. She was at least prepared for the possibility now.

But he didn’t pull away. He hesitated, she could feel it, before one of his hands gently slid up the back of her neck into her hair. Encouraged, Daisy moved a hand up to cup his face, feeling the scratchiness of his stubble on her palm.

She should probably feel bad about this, Daisy thought, dirty, like some of the nuns and probably more than a few others had called her throughout her life. But she just couldn’t bring herself to. This was someone who made her _happy_. Who loved her and cared about her and respected her, when he wasn’t freaking out and trying to get her to change her feelings so he wouldn’t have to confront his own. But Coulson wasn’t like her. Daisy never would have made it to where she was if she was still capable of being frightened by her own feelings.

So maybe he needed a little help. Daisy was nothing if not helpful.

Parting her lips slightly, Daisy prepared herself for him to back off again, decide this was too much. She _wasn’t_ prepared for him to tug her closer to him, deepening the kiss and practically pulling her over the center console. She made a surprised noise, trying not to slip and fall onto his lap--she assumed _that_ would not go over well--which seemed to startle Coulson enough to pull back.

“Sorry,” he said, and Daisy wondered if he was just going to keep saying that for the rest of their lives. Not wanting any _more_ confusion, Daisy adjusted her balance before leaning in one last time for a dirty, open-mouthed, ridiculously brief kiss, just enough to make her feelings clear. And also show off a bit, she wasn’t above that.

She sat back in her seat, amused at how it took an extra second or so for his eyes to open after that one.

“So, thoughts?” Daisy asked casually, putting her feet up on the dashboard. Coulson stared pointedly at her feet until she removed them. Okay some things wouldn’t change.

“I think it’s more complicated...than I thought,” he said cautiously, and Daisy tried not to roll her eyes.

“So you’re telling me you’ve never wanted to do that before?” She joked, but based on the guilty look on his face… “Oh Phil,” she sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder. Poor guy had had a rough time with this, hadn’t he?

“It may take time for me to figure this out,” he said cautiously, but Daisy shook her head.

“Mmm, nope, I’m going to need a decision. I’m a superhero, there are lots of other boys and girls I could be kissing by now.”

Coulson made a frowny face, unbuckling his own seatbelt before leaning over to, she guessed, do some showing off himself. Was this one of Phil Coulson’s moves, she wondered as he grabbed the sides of her face and-- _oh that’s nice._

That nagging worry she’d had, the one that caused this all to come to a head: _he doesn’t want me_ , well, that was silenced for now. Daisy tried not to wonder where this had been during the hours they were sharing a bed, but if anyone had earned a gold star in repressing emotions, it was Phil Coulson. Maybe he felt he needed permission or something. That would be annoyingly like him.

This time _she_ needed a moment, clearing her throat as he smugly sat back in his seat. She had made a noise, hadn’t she? Dammit. Her poker face (voice?) was shit with him. _As always_.

“You can have a couple days,” she relented, buckling up as he did the same.

Phil looked over at her, cautiously flirty. “You won’t be kissing other boys and girls just yet?”

Daisy shook her head. “I mean, not unless they can do that,” she joked. “Otherwise I think you could take as much time as you need.”

It was a bit pathetic, how long she would wait for him if she had to. And she hadn’t even been worried about this particular roadblock before, not this much. She must have made a face, or her voice must have done something because he reached over and grabbed her hand. Daisy looked up, and saw his warm, encouraging smile.

“I really don’t think you’re going to have to wait that long.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as something I didn't know what to do with then ended up here, I hope it makes sense! For all my skoulson folks who have some FEELINGS after this week. <3


End file.
